Puanoqraph co



W. M. VENABLE.

EXGAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1917.

Patented July 1, 1919. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1 ATTORNEYS.

THE cuLumB lA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, I). c.

W. M. VENABLE.

EXCAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATIDH FILED FEB. 5, 1917.

1 ,308 ,1 50, Patented July 1, 1919. Q

a suns-sun 2.

WITNESS INVENTOFI.

Patented July 1, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- INV NTOR. W

ATTORNEYS,

; wnNEs s I THE COLUMBIA DLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, u. c.

W. M. VENABLE. EXCAVATING BUCKET. APPucAT'mN man FEB. 5. 1911.

Patented July 1, 1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

WITNESLM$ INVENTOR.

ATTOHN 5Y5.

rm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm. WASHINGTON, r1. c.

W. M. VENABLE.

EXCAVATING' BUCKET.

APPLICATION r1150 FEB. 5. 1917.

Patented 11113 1, 1919.

5 $HEETS-SHEET 5- IIIII mvzm-qa.

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESS.

"ma cuLuMmA PLANOGRAPH cCL. WASHINGTON. D. c.

snares PATENT FFIQE.

WILLIAM lVI. VENABLE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO BLAWSIEEL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

EXCAVATING-BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

"atented July 1, 1919.

Application filed February 5, 1917. Serial N 0. 146,562.

To all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, WILLIAM M. VENABLE, a citizen of the Unlted States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and which consist of a pair of cooperating scoop v segments pivoted in such manner that the scoops of the bucket usually-open by gravity and are closed by a suitable power operated The usual form of clam shell bucket cable. is operated by t'wo cables wound upon separate drums of a h isting engine, one of the cables serving to raise and lower the bucket while the other cable serves to open and close the scoops. It the scoop 1s not operated by a separate cable or drum certain latches and triggers are provlded adapted to be operated by hand by a separate cable, for holding the bucket closed and permitting it to open. In any event there is usually required more than one cable leading to the operator for the complete operation. of the bucket, and in a number of cases special hoisting engines or more than one operator must be employed to properly operate the bucket.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a simple form of excavating bucket that is entirely operated by a single cable extending from a suitable support to an operating motor such as the drum of a hoisting engine, the construction being such that when the bucket is open upon the material to be scooped into the bucket, winding of the cable upon the motor drum first closes the scoop segments and then raises the entire bucket to the desired elevation, and when the cable is unwound, the scoop segments first open to discharge the acquired material and after the scoops have ooened, further unwinding of the cable -from the motor drum causes the entire bucket todescend in open po ition upon the material to be transferred. Also provision of a single line bucket ant marshy opera-led he simply winding V and unwinding the cable therefor, making it possible to eliminate one operat ing medium heretofore essential to the operations of opening and closing the scoops and hoisting and lowering the bucket. Another object ofthe invention. is to provide a bucket that may be operated by a hoisting motor having a single cable drum, thereby reducin'g'the expense of the entire equipment and at the same time causing a saving in time in the operation of the bucket. Other objects will hereinafter be apparent. Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in th accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of the simplest em bodiment of the invention showing the scoop segments in closed position with portions of the nearest operating links cut away; Fig. 2 is an end view of the bucket shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating a modified form of bucket employing the same basic principle as illustrated in Fig.1 with certain mechanical refinements added; F igxsl is an elevation of one side of a bucket having the elements illustrated in Fig. 3, showing the scoop segments in open position; Fig. 5 is an end view in closed position of the bucket illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the opposite side of the bucket illustrated in Fig. l, but in closed position; and Fig. 7 is modified form of holding drum. p

Referringto the drawing, and more particularly to F igs. 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises a pair of bucket segments 1 and 2 hinged at their upper inner edges upon the hinge shaft 3 and pivoted at their upper outer edges by pins 4; to supporting links 5 and 6. The links 5 and 6 are pivoted upon the same suspension element or shaft 7 upon which, between the links is rotatably mounted anidle sheave 8 and a drum 9 of a width suitable to carry several turns of the operating cable 10.

Integral with the drum 9 or otherwise secured firmly, thereto, is a ratchet wheelll adapted to rotate with thedrum, and coopcrating thercwlth 1s pawl 12 pivoted to an extension 13 of oneot the liliks 6, constantly means. The pawl 12 serves to prevent rotation of the drum in a direction that would roll the drum down the cable.

Pivoted to the hinge shaft 3 is a yoke or sheave block 15 adapted to carry a pair of sheaves 16 and 17 which are rotatably mounted upon the sheave shaft 18. The weight of the sheave block, the sheaves, and the scoops is sufficient to force the hinge shaft 3 downward by gravity and therefore constantly tend to hold the bucket open when the bucket is supported by the suspension element or shaft 7 Starting at the motor drum 19 of the hoisting motor (see Fig. 3 for illustration of cable support and motor drum) the cable is reeved over a suitable sheave near the end of the support, thence down and under sheave 16, thence up and over idle sheave 8,

thence down and under sheave 17, thence up and around the drum 9 a couple of complete turns and thence up to the end of the support or beam from which the bucket is suspended.

Assuming that the bucket has been loaded and raised and the scoops are in closed position with the load of material therein, and that the end of the line attached to the motor drum is the line marked P, and that the end of the line secured to the support is the line marked S, the operation is as follows.

When the motor drum is turned to unwind the end of the cable P, normally there would be a tendency for the drum to rotate clockwise and to roll down the cable S, (see Figs. 1 and The pawl 12 prevents the rotation of the drum, and as there is suflicient tension on the cable beneath the drum 9 at the point T, owing to the weight of the material in the bucket and the counterweighted block 15, the drum 9 is frictionally gripped and prevented from sliding down the cable portion S. Therefore, when slack is let out by the motor drum, block 15 will lower to take it up, thereby permitting the scoop segments 1 and 2 to separate and discharge the load while the drum 9 carried by the suspension element or shaft remains stationary.

When the scoop segments have opened and the block 15 has moved downward until further motion is arrested by the limit of lateral. movement of the lower end of the links 5 and 6, or by balancing the scoops 1 and 2 in suspension from the pins 4, the

tension on the portion of the line T will be reduced as more slack is paid out by the motor drum, and when the tension at T is sufficiently reduced, the grip of the cable wound around the drum 9 will be released and the shovel will slide down the cable with the scoop segments wide open.

After the scoop segments have come to rest upon the material to be transferred, the direction of the motor drum is reversedand the cable again wound thereupon. As soon as the slack has been taken up and tension put on the cable, the block 15 will be drawn upward and the sheave 8 downward, thereby closing the bucket and encompassing material within it.

After the scoops have closed there can be no additional upward movement of the block 15 unless the entire bucket is raised with it, therefore further winding of the cable upon the motor drum will cause the drum 9 to rotate anti-clockwise and roll up the portion S of the cable to the desired elevation. When the line is again paid out, rotation of the drum 9 is prevented by the pawl 12 and slack on the portion P of the line will cause the bucket to open and discharge as previously explained. Therefore, winding up of the cable causes the open bucket first to close and then to be elevated, and unwinding of the cable causes the bucket first to open and then descend, all operations being controlled and operated by a single cable.

While the construction just described is simple and inexpensive there are some con ditions wherein it would be more desirable to provide a bucket in which the cable did not slide with respect to the drum corresponding to the drum 9. To obviate the sliding action of the cable in descending, the bucket illustrated in Figs 3 to 6 inclusive is designed. The bucket therein illustrated is similar in generalconstruction to that just described. The bucket consists in a pair of scoop segments 1 and 2 hinged at its upper inner edges upon a' hinge shaft 3 and pivoted at its upper outer edge by pins 4: to a plurality of supporting links 5 and (3. The upper ends of the links are pivoted to a main shaft 7 which may be considered as a part of a suspension element, and rotatably mounted thereon is an idle sheave 8, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

The supporting links 5 are provided with extensions 5 projecting beyond the main shaft 7 and adjacent the ends thereof is rotatably mounted a drum shaft 20. A drum 9 is secured to the shaft against relative movement therewith and a ratchet wheel 11 is keyed to one end of the shaft- 20, while at the opposite end a ratchet wheel 21 is keyed having its teeth set in the opposite direction to those of the ratchet wheel 11.

Adjacent the ratchet wheel 11 a floating pawl support 2:2 rotatably mounted upon the shaft 20, and this support carries a pair of pawls 12 normally held in contact with the teeth l i of the ratchet wheel 11 by means of springs 23 (see Fig. The floating pawl support is held against rotation at certain periods during the operation of the device by means of a band brake 21 which is secured at one end to the extension 5" of one of the links 5 and extends around the peripheryof the pawl support almost to the secured end of the band. A bolt 25 through the link 5 projects through the free end of the band to support a helical compression spring 26 which is mounted upon the bolt between the end 27 of the band and a pair of nuts 28 screwed upon the end of the bolt. The spring 26 normally holds the brake in frictional engagement with the pawl support thereby normally holding it against relative movement with respect to the link 5. i

A tongue 29 is secured to the link 6 that is adjacent the link 5 carrying the band 24, and the end of the tongue is adapted to engage the inner face of the end 27 of the band 2 1- and hold it out of tight engagement with the pawl support when the scoop segments 1 and 2 are in open position. When the scoop segments are in closed position the links 5 and 6 will occupy the position shown in dotted lines in Fig; 4, and it will be seen that the tongue 26 will be moved around 7 as an axis out of engagement with the end 27 of the band 24 while the scoop segments are closed. The tongue is adjusted so that the brake 24 is released only when the scoop segments have reached the desired open position, after which time the pawl support will be free to rotate thereby permitting the ratchet wheel 11 and the drum 9 to rotate in the direction that will roll the drum down the portion S of the cable. The function of the ratchet wheel 11, pawls l2 and the brake band 24 is to prevent rotation of the drum 9 while the scoop segments are being opened and to permit downward movement of the bucket when the scoop segments have opened.

Referring to Fig. 3, the scoops 1 and 2, and the links 5 and 6, may be so designed, with reference to their pivoted connections 3, 1 and 7 that the bucket lowered open upon material to be taken up, will upon closing encompass the desired amount of material without any further descent of the shaft 20 during closing. In that event the ratchet wheel 21, and other parts hereafter described, are unnecessary. Usually, how ever, such a design is cumbersome and inconvenient, and it is preferable to employ a design which will involve the descent of the shaft 20, with the drum 9, during the closing of the bucket.

To accomplish this it is necessary to have slack in the line S before the bucket comnienees to close. slack is provided will hereinafter appear. When a bucket is used requiring such slack in the cable S the ratchet wheel 21 is provided to prevent the drum 9 from rotating to pass this slack during closing, and to release so that the slack may pay out and the drum roll "up the line 8; when the bucket is closed. hooked pawl arm 30 is hang The manner in which the over the ratchet wheel 21 and is provided with a pawl tooth 31 which is adapted to be held into engagement with the ratchet teeth 32 by gravity, (see Figs. 3 and 4). The lower extremity of the pawl arm is weighted and provided with a slot 33 through which the end of the hinge shaft 3 projects and serves as a guide for the pawl arm. The pawl arm normally serves to prevent rotation of the drum 9 in the direction above indicated when the scoop segments are in open position.

For convenience in illustration the pawl 31 is shown as operated from the shaft 3, but it will be understood that this pawl may be operated from some other movable part if desired.

When the scoop segments have been moved toclosed position the pawl tooth 31 should be released to permit of the proper rotation of the drum so that it may roll up the portion S of the cable. For this purpose a trip arm 31 is secured to the hinge shaft 3 so that it projects upwardly at all times and when the hinge shaft 3 is elevated suliiciently to cause the scoop segments to close it engages the lower extremity of the pawl arm 30, and raises the pawl tooth 31 out of engagement with the teeth 32 of the ratchet wheel 21. The drum 9 is then permitted to rotate in the direction that will roll it up the cable.

Upon the hinge shaft 3 is mounted a pair of sheaves 16 and 17. These are preferably mounted in a counterweighted guard block 37 pivoted to the hinge shaft 3, as illustrated in Figs. 4:, 5 and 6, but for the purpose of clearness theyare shown mounted directly upon the shaft 3 in the diagrammatic. perspective view illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 3 the cable is reeved from a motor drum 19 over a supporting sheave ,35 carried on a suitable support or boom, down past a guide sheave 36 carried upon the drum shaft 20, thence down and under sheave 17, thence up and over sheave 8 carried upon the hinge shaft 7,.thence down and under sheave 16, thence up and around the drum 9 two complete turns and thence up and over sheave 37 carried near the end of the boom and finally secured to a counterweight 38, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The counterweight is tied to the boom by a stop line 39 which is fastened at one end to the boom and at the other end to the weight. This cable limits the downward movement of the counterweight while its upward movement is arposition illustrated in Figs. 3, and 6, and

that the bucket lcat with. material.

ready to be dumped, it will be seen that the drum 9 is held against clockwise rotation (see Fig. 3), or rotation that would permit lowering of the bucket, by the pawls 12. At this time the pawl support is held against rotation by the brake band 24 and the tongue 29 is not holding the brake band open. The

instant slack in the portion P of the cable is paid out the sheaves 16 and 17 will take up the slack by lowering until the scoop segments are wide open thereby discharging the load while the drum 9 has remained stationary with respect to the portion S of the cable.

hen the scoop segments have opened, the the link 6 .will have moved inward as indicated in Fig. t,.in full lines, the broken lines indicating the position of the links 5 and 6 before the bucket opened, thereby causing the tongue 29 to rotate clockwise about the shaft 7 so as to engage the end 27 of the spring band 2% and release the braking action upon the pawl support 22. The instant the pawl support can rotate the drum 9 will rotate in the direction that will roll it down the cable and as slack is paid out the bucket will lower with the scoop segments wide open.

When the bucket is at rest on the material to be excavated, in the position shown in Fig. 4, there must be means for overhauling the line S, a sufiicient amount to allow the bucket to descend while closing. One such means is shown by 37 38, 89 and 40 in Fig. 3. If that means be used, the counterweight 38 must be sufficient only to overhaul the line, until stopped by the stop line 39.

Instead of the devices shown in 37, 38 and 39, other means for overhauling the line maybe employed. In many kinds of service, however, the inertia of the revolving drum 9, is sufficient to overhaul the necessary amound of line before it comes to rest after the bucket lands. This effect may be accentuated by allowing the bucket to drop freely by entirely releasing the hold at the drum 19, when the bucket is several feet above the place where it is to land. If operated from a cableway instead of from a fixed support as shown, the spring of the cable when the weight of the bucket is released from it will be sufficient to overhaul enough line in S to permit proper operation of the bucket. In general, therefore, the devices shown as 38, 39 and 40 are not required, but I have shown them in Fig. 3 only, in order that the overhauling of the line S may be clearly setforth.

The bucket being open, resting upon the material to be encompassed, with slack in theline S, the pawl tooth 31 engages the ratchet 21, preventing rotation of the drum 9 in a direction which will take up the. slack in the line S. Pull on the line P then closes the bucket by drawing the drum 2) down and the shaft 3 up.

I IVhen the bucket is almost closed, the trip arm 34: releases the pawl from the ratchet 21, permits the drum 9 to rotate, taking up any remaining slack in S. Further taking up on the line P raises the bucket, closed, with the material within it as a whole, the drum 9 rolling up on the line S.

After the bucket has been elevated to the desired height the boom may be swung to any desired position and the contents of the bucket discharged by simply paying slack cable from the motor drum, and the opera tion may then be repeated as described. Summarized: Paying out of the cable first causes the scoops to open and then the bucket to descend. Winding in the cable first causes the scoops to close and then the bucket to ascend.

In particular, for the sake of simplicity, I have shown the holding drum S) in the shape of a spool, with several turns of cable around it, similar to what is known as a niggerhead on a hoisting engine. In such a drum, the cable must always slide toward the center. In place of such a drum I may use two drums 9 side by side, as shown in Fig. 7, with cable secured to the drum and wound upon them in such a way that winding up of the cable on one drum is accon'ipanied by unwinding upon the other drum, there being no slip of the cable on either, the two drums together being substituted for the drum shown as 9.

The terms or phrases used in the claims to define the cable, such as single operating cable or cable carried at one end by a support and at the other end secured to an operating device, or like terms, are herein in.- tended to include the structure illust fated in Fig. 7, for, while there are two cable sections in such n'iodification they are secured together by the drum and function as one continuous cable.

vMany changes in the details of the whole construction may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the invention is therefore, not limited to the specific structures herein illustrated and described. 1

What I claim is:

1. In combination in an excavating mechanism, a holding line secured to a fixed sup- )ort, a bucket, a holding drum about which s wound the line, and means for preventing the drum from winding up on the line ex cept when the bucket is closed, said drum held stationary by said means when the bucket opens.

2. In excavating mechanism, the combination of a bucket adapted to open and close.

a cable therefor secured to and having an operating drum carried by said bucket in such manner that the drum will rotate to wind up the cable when the bucket is raised by drawing up said operating end and rotate in the opposite direction to unwind down the cable when the bucket is lowered by slackening said operating end, and means forarresting the rotation of the drum whereby the drum will hang on the cable when the operating end is initially slackened to open the bucket, but not when the bucket is opened.

3. In combination in excavating mechanism, a bucket, an operating cable, a holding drum about which the cable is wound, means for restricting the rotation of the drum in one direction except when the bucket is open and means for restricting rotation of the drum in the opposite direction except when the bucket is closed.

4. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a single cable carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, a supporting element adapted to be carried upon the cable between the support and the operating device, a plurality of cooperating scoop segments carried by the supporting element and adapted to be respectively opened andclosed by the lowering and raising of the cable, means cooperating with the cable for l1olding the supporting element stationary while the scoop elements are being operated, and means for releasing the holding means to permit movement of the supporting element by the cable when, the scoops are in either extreme operating position. a

5. In an excavating mechanism of the character described, the combination of a bucket adapted to open and close, a holding line therefor secured to a fixed support, a holding drum in the bucket about which is wound the line, and means for releasably holding the drum stationary and against winding up on the line as the bucket opens, said means releasable to permit drum movement when the bucket, is in its open position. A

6. An excavating bucket comprising a plurality of cooperating scoop segments pivoted so that they may open and close, a cable carried at one end by a support and at the other end secured to an operating device for supporting the bucket between the ends of the cable, means operated by movement of the operated end of the cable in either direction for causing the operation of the scoop segments, and means cooperating with the cable and carried by the bucket adapted to grip the supported end of the cable and pre vent relative movement therewith while the operated end of the cable is moved to operate the scoop segments, and to release its a fixed supportggrip upon the cable to permit movement of end, a holding the bucket with respect thereto upon movement of the operated end of the cable after the scoop segments have either opened or closed.

7. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a suspension element, a plurality of gravity opened scoop segments carried by the element, a sheave connected to the segments for closing the segments when moved upwardly, a single cable reeved around the sheave and carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, whereby the scoops are caused to open when the operating end of the cable is lowered and are caused to close whenthe operating end of the cable is raised, a drum carried by the suspension element around which the cable carried by the support is wound, and means for preventing rotation of the drum in either direction until the scoop segments have been actuated into extreme open or closed position.

8. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a suspension element, a plurality of gravity opened scoop segments carried by theelement, a sheave connected to the segments for closing the segments when moved upwardly, a single cable reeved around the sheave and carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, a drum carried by the suspension element around which the cable carried by the support is wound, and means for preventing rotation of the drum in either direction while the scoop segments are opening or closing.

9. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a suspension element, a plurality of gravity opened scoop segments carried by the element, a shelve connected to the segments for closing the segments when moved upwardly and opening the segments when moved downwardly, a single cable reeved around the sheave and carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, a drum carried by the suspension element around which the cable carried by the support is wound, means for preventing rotation of the drum in either direction, and means for releasing the drum holding means operated by the bucket segments.

10. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a suspension element, a plurality of gravity opened scoop segments carried by the element, a sheave connected to the segments for closing the segments when moved upwardly and opening the segments when moved downwardly, a single cable reeved around the sheave and carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, a drum carried by the suspension element around which the cable carried by the support is wound, means for preventing rotation of the drum in either direction, and means for releasing the drum holding means to permit rotation of the drum in the direction that would roll it up the cable toward the support operated by the segments when the segments are brought to closed position.

11. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a suspension element, a plurality of gravity opened scoop segments carried by the element, a sheave connected to the segments for closing the segments when moved upwardly, a single cable reeved around the sheave and carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, a drum carried by the suspension element around which-the cable carried by the support is wound, means for preventing rotation of the drum in either direction, and means for releasing the drum holding means to permit rotation of the drum in the direction that would roll it down the cable away from the support operated by the segments when the segments are brought to open position. V

12. An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a suspension element, a plurality of gravity opened scoop segments carried by the element, a. sheave connected to the segments for closing the segments when moved upwardly and opening the segments when moved downwardly, a single cable reeved around the sheave and carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, a drum carried by the suspension element around which the cable carried by the support is wound, a ratchet wheel secured to the drum, and a pawl cooperating with the ratchet wheel to prevent rotation of the drum in the direction that would roll it up the cable toward the support, so arranged that it will be released from engagement with the ratchet teeth when the scoop segments are in closed position.

13.An excavating bucket comprising in combination, a suspension element, a plurality of gravity opened scoop segments carried by the element, a sheave connected to the segments for closing the segments when moved upwardly, a single cable reeved around the sheave and carried at one end by a support and secured at the other end to an operating device, a drum carried by the suspension element around which the cable carried by the support is wound, a ratchet wheel secured to the drum, a pawl cooperating with the ratchet wheel to prevent rotation. of the drum in the direction that would roll it up the cable toward the support, and means disengaging the pawl from the teeth of theratchet when the scoop segments are brought to closed position.

141- A clam shell bucket comprising in combination, a main shaft, a hinge shaft, a pair of cooperating scoop segments hinged at their inner edges adjacent the hinge shaft, and adapted to oscillate to open and close, a plurality of links pivotally connecting the outer edges of the scoop segments to the main shaft whereby the outer edges of the bucket are supported to permit the lower inner edges to swing outwardly to open the bucket when the hinge shaft is lowered by gravity, an idler sheave pivoted upon the main shaft, a pair of sheaves mounted upon the hinge shaft, a drum shaft carried by a pair of links which are carried by one of the scoop segments, a drum carried by the shaft, a cable attached at one end to an operating device reeved under one of the sheaves on the hinge shaft up and over the idle sheave on the main shaft, down and under the second sheave on the hinge shaft, up and around the drum shaft, then up to a suitable support by which the other end is carried, and means for preventing rotation of the drum in one direction. 4

15. A clam shell bucket comprising in combination, a main shaft, a hinge shaft, a pair of cooperating scoop segments hinged at their inner edges adjacent the hinge shaft, and adapted to oscillate to open and close, a plurality of links pivotally connecting the outer edges of the scoop segments to the main shaft whereby the outer edges of the bucket are supported to permit the lower inner edges to swing outwardly to open the bucketwhen the hinge shaft is lowered by gravity, an idler sheave pivoted upon the main shaft, a pair of sheaves mounted upon the hinge shaft, a drum shaft carried by a pair of links which are carried by one of the scoop segments, a drum carried by the shaft, a cable attached at one end to an operating device reeved under one of the sheaves on the hinge shaft up and over the idle sheave on the main shaft, down and under the second sheave on the hinge shaft, up and around the drum shaft, then up to a suitable support by which the. other end is carried, and means for preventing rotation of the drum in the direction that would roll the drum down the cable.

16. The combination with an excavating bucket having a plurality of cooperating scoop segments pivoted so that they may open and close, a cable carried at one end by a support and at the other end secured to an operating device for supporting the bucket between the ends of the cable, means oper ated by movement of the operated end of the cable in either direction for causing the operation of the scoop segments, and means cooperating with the cable and carried by the bucket adapted to grip the supported end of the cable and prevent relative movement therewith While the operated end of the cable is moved to operate the scoop segments, and to release its grip upon the cable to permit movement of the bucket With respect thereto upon movement of the operated end of the cable after the scoop segments have closed, of a means for overhauling the cable when the bucket is open and supported from.

beneath to provide cable of greater length between the cable gripping means and the supported end of the cable than the distance between the cable gripping means and cable support, so that the bucket may move downward While the scoop segments are closing into the material.

WILLIAM M. VENABLE.

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

